"Many things that happen in Bishops Castle, Shropshire start off as an idea over a pint in the Three Tuns - this was no exception. Except it started a bit earlier than that........

May 1985 - Jonathan Walton, resident of Shrewsbury, long term tandem enthusiast and novice attempter of a couple of triathlons was bemoaning the running bit. His wife Wendy-Jane, also a newcomer to triathlons, was bemoaning having to swim. Keith Buck, then a committee member of the Tandem Club silenced them with - "so why not have a triathlon for tandems where one of you can run and the other swim". The seed of the idea was born.

October 1985 - Scene, the Three Tuns, Bishops Castle, Shropshire. Jonathan quaffing a pint with his long time friend Adrian Penney and talking about how he couldn't see how a tandem triathlon could work with Shrewsbury as the venue. "What about Bishops Castle" said Adrian. Half an hour and two pints later the seed had fully germinated and was growing apace. Adrian had to convince the carnival committee that it would be a good idea to make the Tandem Triathlon a part of the town carnival - Jonathan was told to write a formal proposal. This was done and duly posted - from the Falkland Islands en-route Antarctica! The carnival committee took up the idea with enthusiasm, having been assured that Jonathan would be back in the UK in early January. But the Antarctic doesn't release its hostages easily and by mid February the committee were asking Adrian whether this Walton fellow really existed! Jonathan finally returned to UK in mid March and the entire preparation for that inaugural event happened in just 3 months. Everything was set for the Tandem triathlon to happen as it always does, on the Saturday before the first Sunday in July. But then a Walton family wedding was annouinced, a three line whip was sent out and with only 6 weeks warning the date had to be changed to Saturday 14th June - did anyone ever wonder why that very first Tandem Triathlon was out of sync with all the other ones?

Amazingly that first event attracted 57 entries on what was probably the hottest day of the summer. A format was established that day that has been followed every year since. A logo was devised, slate coasters ordered as mementoes - for those who helped as well as those who took part - there was a Ceilidh in the school hall in the evening. Everyone who was there enthused about the whole concept and just like all the subsequent tandem triathlons there was that wonderful combination of real athletes, tandem enthusiasts who could hardly swim let alone run and families playing on the school field while parents sped (or crawled) around the course.

By 1988 the entry had grown to well over 120 tandems and it was probably the largest annual tandem event in the UK. By that time John Shaddock and Julie had joined the organising team - the paperwork involved was getting way beyond Jonathan - and it was their quiet competence that kept the event well administered for those first 10 events. One must remember that the internet and emails didn't really exist at that time - everything was photocopied and posted!

There were a few less memorable incidents. Some competitors who were getting just too competitive and aggressive (swimming backstroke or bad mouthing marshals) were informed "we don't behave like that in Shropshire", saw the error of their ways and returned the following year to enter fully into the spirit of the event. Many many competitors over the years have threatened to do serious damage to the sadist that devised the running route (Adrian and Jonathan for the record - the latter stating very clearly at the time that nothing would ever induce him to try and run it!)

The event kept prospering and the first major milestone came with the 10th Anniversary in 1995. For that event alone a "family" class was introduced and also for the real superhumans the event was lengthened where both competitors did all 3 legs of the event and the tandem part did 2 laps not one! That was a one off.

Early in 1997 it was announced that the Bishops Castle swimming pool was almost certainly going to be closed during the summer so everything had to be re-arranged. This is where Peter Bird entered the Tandem triathlon scene. With no swimming pool the event either didn't happen or had to find a new venue. Peter offered to incorporate a tandem triathlon into his existing tandem festival "Tandemania", based in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant under the shadow of the Berwyns. A swimnming pool existed in Llanfyllin so for 2 years the Tandem Triathlon became the Tanat Valley Tandem Triathlon. However, it was clear that Bishops Castle wanted the event back so when Peter's Tandemania ceased, the Tandem Triathlon returned to its rightful origin.

The format didn't change when it returned - why change something that clearly worked well. The entrants somewhat mystifyingly were pleased to be back cycling up Colstey hill and running around Bury Ditches! What has been most pleasing for those early 3 musketeers, Adrian, Jonathan and John was the way that the inclusive nature of the Tandem Triathlon - still the world's only specific Tandem Triathlon - has been maintained. Superb athletes still compete with disabled people of all ages and abilities.

Special memories abound. The rousing cheer at the prizegiving in 1988 that greeted the 78year old blind entrant (with a 67 year old partner) who decided to opt for the run - in hobnail boots! The raffle with a new Dawes tandem as the only prize. Miriam who has competed for so many years - not only blind but a double leg amputee. Those superb young althletes on a borrowed tandem with disc wheels who took a full 6 minutes off the tandem lag record a few years ago. John and Julie who cycled the route towing a trailer bike with one daughter on, towing a trailer with another 2 daughters in. "Sopwith and Camel" whose biplane fancy dress was found to have a take off speed of just over 15mph on the descent to Clun, Cuthbert who every year until recently sat by the finishing line giving out slate coasters with a smile to the exhausted finishers. The many cyclists who have stopped to give assistance to others (usually those with broken chains). The blind tandem rider who was able to travel to the Seoul Paralympics partly as a result of the Tandem Triathlon fundraising. The 2 Nuns who walked in through the front door of the garage in Clun and who asked the bemused owner "do you think you would be able to mend the pedal on our tandem". The 2 teams who have competed in every single Tandem Triathlon to date. The Schmidts from Switzerland who had cycled all the way from their home to join in the fun.

Particular thanks have to go to the Town of Bishops Castle who still support the annual influx of tandems and also to David Hinves and his team at the Leisure Development Department of the now Shropshire Council who have administered the event so ably over the last 10 years. And also of course to Peter and Sarah Bird whose enthusiasm has helped the Tandem Triathlon become part of a much bigger Festival of Tandeming.

The Bishops Castle Tandem Triathlon is without doubt a unique event. If you haven't entered before don't delay - come and join the fun - and if you have already been hooked we look forward to seeing you again soon." - Jonathan Walton

The event now continues to be organised by a large number of the local community from Bishops Castle with the logistics supplied by Dave Hinves and his team at the Sports and Leisure Department of Shropshire Council. Since 2006 The Tandem Experience joined the organisers of the Tandem Triathlon and extended the event to a 3 day event with the other activities organised by The Tandem Experience.

January 2009 - sadly the past 3 years has seen the Tandem Triathlon run at a loss (the accounts can be seen here for those that are interested) also from this year the organising committee were informed that the swimming pool has now to be paid for to the tune of £500.

So to reverse this trend we bring changes introduced for the 2009 event and hope participants understand our reasoning to allow the event to continue for many years to come.